Lexington Computer Repair Services - Choose Wisely

Lexington Computer Repair Services - Choose Wisely

Residents of Lexington and Central Kentucky are a loyal bunch like no other I have seen. Whether it's rooting for Wildcat basketball, showing up in droves for Keeneland's opening day, or even choosing a computer repair guy, we like to stick with what we know and love!

Over the past few years, myself and other local professionals have noticed a disturbing trend in the IT industry. The rise of fraudulent or fly-by-night "technicians" poses a serious threat to the unassuming consumer. When I first entered the marketplace professionally in 2004, there were a small handful of computer repair shops in town. However, more recently, Google is churning out nearly 100 results for "computer repair" in the Lexington, Kentucky area. I thought to myself, how could this possibly be? Can Lexington even support that many businesses? Are these so-called computer repair specialists licensed and trained in fixing your computer? Would you trust these "professionals" with your personal devices and secured information? What were to happen if the equipment you had entrusted to someone else came back damaged or worse yet, didn't come back at all?

I started digging deeper. With some cross-referencing and information from the Kentucky Secretary of State (http://www.sos.ky.gov/business/records/), my suspicions were more than reaffirmed. Less than half of the computer repair specialists in the area are legally registered to operate in the state! So, it is imperative that first-time customers verify a business' credentials such as licensing, training, and references.

So what's a consumer to do in a flooded and poorly-regulated IT market?

Start by asking friends and family members if they have used anyone in past, and if so, what their experience was like. Many times, this alone will lead you to a quality professional. On the other hand, someone always has a friend/cousin/brother/neighbor that is "pretty good with computers". In most cases, this is the worst kind of service. I hear horror stories on a daily basis from customers who have used one of these so-called technicians. The typical outcome involves a computer that has more problems than it had before, an expensive repair that could have been avoided with an easy fix by a professional, and a very disappointed customer. Be sure to check with the Secretary of State and the Better Business Bureau if you are wary of the business. You should interpret this information objectively, as many established places do such a high-volume of work that it is simply impossible to please everyone all of the time.

Craigslist Yay or Nay?

Last but not least, if you take nothing away from this article, let this be it. DO NOT hire a technician on Craigslist! These are the bottom feeders of the IT world. I'm not saying that it's impossible to find good, reliable companies on Craigslist, but that's always where every con-artist, unqualified, unlicensed technician posts. Simply due to the fact that it's 100% unregulated and anonymous, Craigslist is a hot-bed of questionable activity. If someone is offering to fix your desktop or laptop computer for $10-20, that should be an immediate red-flag. I can almost guarantee that they don't have insurance or even an office, and they most likely aren't certified either.

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